Journal-box.



No. 659,074. -Pato'nted'0'ct. 2, I900. H. J. LA FORCE.

JOURNAL-BOX.

(Application filed Aug. 24, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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No. 659,074. Patented Oct. 2,1900.

H. J. LA. E.

J 0 U R N A (Application filed. Aug. 24, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOURNAL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 659,074, dated October 2, 1900. Application filed August 24, 1899. Serial No. 728,366. (No model.)

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HIPPOLYTE JOSEPH LA FORCE, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Levallois-Perret, in the department of the Seine, France, have invented new and useful Improvements in Journal-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved journal-bearing, and has for its object to provide new and improved antifriction devices and an oil or lubricant chamber for the hub-box and axle-spindle of a vehicle-wheel.

To accomplish this object, my invention consists in the features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims following the description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view 0 my improved journal-hearing. Fig 2 is a detail longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the bearing, on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view takenion the line a h of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 .is a .detail view of one of the spacing-rollers.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 indicates an axle spindle or journal; 2 and 3, sleeve-bushings mounted, respectively, on the outer and inner end portions of the spindle or journal, and at a shoulder corresponding to the shape of the widest part of the sleeve-bushing 3. These sleeve-bushings are cylindrical on the interior and conical or tapering on the exterior and can be passed with :little friction over the spindle or journal.

'5 and 6 are two bushings or liners, conical both on the interior and on the exterior and arranged inside an outer tube 7, which constitutes the box of the hub of the vehiclewheel. This tube is coned or tapered internally, so that it contracts from each end toward its middle part and at the latter point is cylindrical to form a central oil-chamber 32. The rollers which constitute my bearing are indicated at 8. They are tapered and are arranged in two series inclined in opposite directions, but so arranged that the axes of all the rollers in each series converge to the same point of the axis of the journal. The outer tube 7 fits with slight friction over a shoulder 9 on the journal 1, and at its other extremity it is screw-threaded to allow of the journal-box being closed by means of a cap 10. A lock-nut 11 and counter-nut 12 complete the arrangement. this journal-box is effected in the following manner: The sleeve 3 is first put in place on the journal, and then the rollers 8 are arranged in the liner 6 (wherein they are retained, as I will explain further on) and are passed over the sleeve 3. The outer tube 7 is now put in position. Then the rollers 8 are inserted in the liner 5, which is nearest the outer end of the journal, and this latter is put in place, inclosing the rollers in the manner desired. Lastly, the bushing or sleeve 2 is inserted and is fixed in place by means of the lock-n uts 11 and 12, the box being then tightly closed by screwing on the cap 10.

Any suitable arrangement may be employed for keeping the rollers 8 in their respective places relatively to each other and for keeping their axes always converging to the same point. By way of example I will describe two arrangements which have given very satisfactory results. In the first the rollers 8, which must not touch each other,

are kept apart by small intermediate rollers 13, arranged at or near the point where the diameter of the rollers Sis the largest. This arrangement is shown more clearly in detail in Figs. 2 and 3. The rollers 13 are formed in pairs, connected by intermediate cylindrical portions 13", as shown in Fig. 4. They are arranged between the rollers 8, as shown in Fig. 3, and lie in recesses 14, formed in the rollers 8 and of such depth that the axial portions 16 of said rollers are of less diameter than the cylindrical parts 13*, connecting the rollers 13. To support the rollers 13 and to prevent them approaching or receding from the journal 1, I arrange two conical rings, the exterior one 17 hearing on the flanges of the rollers l'3.that is to say, the parts having the largest diameterwhile the interior one 18 bears against the central port-ions 15*. At their other ends I maintain the rollers 8 in position simply by arranging a sightly-conical ring 19 in suitable small annular recesses or grooves 20. This ring is merely for supporting the rollers 8 when the journal is withdrawn, and it is this arrangement which enables the The building up of rollers to be easily placed in the sleeves, as before mentioned. I connect; these rollers 13 in pairs by means ofa slender wire 13 Thereby the placing of the rollers in position is greatly facilitated. The ends of the wires are let into the ends of the rollers, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 4:, so as to prevent them rubbing against the walls of the recesses 14.

The liner 5 is provided at its outer end with an inwardly-projecting flange 29, which fits on the outer end of the sleeve 2, and a similar flange 30is provided for the liner6, fitting over the larger end of the sleeve 3. A closed chamber 31 is thus formed around the journal 1 to hold the lubricating-oil.

It will be noted that the ends of the rollers do not project into the central cylindrical chamber 32,which forms an oil-chamber, and the oil is fed from the chamber 32 into the two chambers 31, in which the rollers rotate, and serves to lubricate said rollers and the bushings.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. In a journal-bearing, the combination with a journal of two bushings having outer surfaces which taper, or converge, toward the middle of the journal, two series of tapering rollers converging in the same direction as the bushings and arranged to roll upon the latter, means for maintaining a uniform separation between said rollers, liners to inclose the latter, each liner having its smaller end adjacent to the middle part of the journal and having its larger end provided with an inwardly projecting flange fitting on the bushing, to confine the lubricating-oil at the ends of the bushings, and a boxing tapered to fit the liners and provided centrally between its ends with a cylindrical oil-chamber communicating with the inner ends of the liners, substantially as described.

2. In a journal-bearing, the combination with a cylindrical journal of two bushings having outer faces which taper, or converge toward the middle part of the journal, a series of rollers arranged on the outer face of each bushing intermediate rolls formed in rigidly-connected pairs and lying in annular recesses in raid rollers, an exterior ring bearing on the peripheries of the rolls in each pair an interior ring having bearing against a cylindrical connection which rigidly unites the rolls of each pair, and liners inclosing the rollers in the two series, substantially as described.

3. In a journal-bearing the combination with a journal of two bushings having outer faces that taper toward the middle part of the journal, two series of rollers arranged on said outer faces, intermediate rolls formed in pairs which lie in annular recesses in the rollers, the members of each pair being rigidly connected by reduced cylindricalpieces, two of said pairs being connected by a wire, an outer and an inner ring, the former bearing with its inner face upon the peripheries of the pairs of rolls and the latter having its outer face bearing upon the cylindrical pieces connecting said rolls, lines inclosing the rollers in both series and provided at their larger ends with inwardly-projecting flanges titted on the bushings, and an outer tube tapered from both ends toward its middle to inclose the liners, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

llIPIOLY'lE JOSEPH 11A FORGE.

Witnesses:

EDWARD P. MACLEAN, ALFRED FREY. 

